How to grow lobelia from seeds at home. Lobelia Growing Secrets

From this article you will learn how to grow lobelia from seeds, when it is best to plant it this year according to the Lunar Calendar and beyond. But first, let's see what kind of plant it is - lobelia.

Lobelia is a lush flowering herbaceous, shrub or semi-shrub plant. The South African guest took root in Russia. It blooms all summer. White, blue, pink, purple, blue caps of small flowers cover the green foliage of the plant. The length and height of the stems depends on the variety of lobelia. An annual plant in a pot is brought in for the winter in the house where the lobelia is located until planting in a flower bed next year. Florists willingly decorate garden plots with this flower. To obtain strong and strong seedlings of lobelia, it is important to know its features, technology, rules for sowing and caring for it.

Lobelia is propagated by seeds (their germination capacity lasts 3 years), occasionally by cuttings. The plant germinates and develops slowly. It is recommended to sow while there is still snow on the street. This guarantees flowering in early summer. After sowing, after 5-10 days, the first shoots will appear, and after 50-60, the lobelia will bloom. Having sown seeds in April, the plant will delight in flowering only in June.

The difficulty lies in the fact that daylight hours are still short, and lobelia seedlings require 10 hours of full lighting. Therefore, planting material at home is illuminated with photo lamps or grown in heated greenhouses.

There is an opinion that the March crops are catching up with the February crops in development. This can be checked by sowing two batches of seedlings at different times and choosing the optimal time for your region.

Sowing lobelia by region

They decide on the start of sowing, taking into account the climatic conditions of the region. In the south of the country, seeds are planted in February, and even January, to decorate flower beds and decorate garden paths before the heat sets in.

When sowing seeds of lobelia, not only the climate of the region is taken into account, but also the peculiarities of the weather.

In the south of Russia, starting from February, you can start sowing seeds. Territories to the north are postponed to March. Residents of Siberia and the Urals begin work at the end of March. When the threat of night frost has passed, you can move the seedlings of lobelia to the clubs, and take the flowers in pots outside.

Sowing dates according to the Lunar Calendar for 2019

For those who plan to work in the garden on lunar calendar, it is advised to choose the following dates for sowing lobelia:

Soil and containers for lobelia

The soil for the plant is used light, crumbly, with neutral or slightly alkaline pH readings. This is easily checked with litmus paper or vinegar. Soil is placed on a piece of glass and watered with a solution. The desired reaction is a slight hiss.

Use ready-made nutrient soil or prepare the soil mixture yourself. The following composition is recommended (2:2:2:1):

• garden land;
• peat;
• humus;
• river sand.

More mixture options are used: vermiculite, coarse river sand, garden soil or humus.

Apply the composition of the following components, take 1 part:

• river sand;
• peat or leaf land;
• soddy soil;
• coconut substrate.

A large amount of organic matter in the soil stimulates the growth of greenery with poor flowering. Vermiculite reduces soil acidity, increases permeability and stores water. This has a beneficial effect on the development of lobelia.

It is convenient to use ready-made peat tablets. They are sold in different sizes and in special plastic cells, 6, 50, 100 pieces. Seeds germinate, dive and transplant to a permanent place along with the substrate.

The soil mixture is disinfected before sowing:

• calcined in the oven;
• spill boiling water;
• treated with 1% potassium permanganate solution;
• warm up for a couple;
• use fungicides Previkur or Maxim.

For sowing lobelia seeds use:

• boxes made of wood or plastic;
• used cups and jars for fermented milk products;
• egg shells and packaging;
• tea bags; plastic cassettes.

The container should be washed with soda or treated with potassium permanganate. To prevent rotting of the roots, drainage holes are made in the bottom of the containers. Plastic is easily pierced with a nail or awl heated over a fire.

45 thousand seeds are contained in one gram of planting material. It is packaged in paper packages, ampoules, polyethylene zip bags. Given that the seeds are small, choose the method of planting.

Traditionally, lobelia is sown in a box. Perform the following sequence of actions:

• pour 1 cm of a layer of drainage on the bottom of the tank;
• fill with soil mixture three-quarters;
• water the soil with solutions of potassium permanganate or fungicide;
• level the surface and compact;
• mix lobelia seeds with sand on a piece of paper;
• sow evenly over the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe soil;
• cover the box with film or glass;
• put in a bright place with an air temperature of + 23 ... + 25 ° C.

Flower growers are experimenting with new ways of sowing lobelia seeds.

Toothpick

The ground in the box is covered with a layer of snow. Scattered seeds are clearly visible on a white surface. With the help of a toothpick, they are evenly pushed apart over the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe soil.

Hydrogen peroxide

Lobelia seeds are placed in a glass and filled with hydrogen peroxide for 5-10 minutes. Add water, mix and spread the mixture over the prepared soil surface with a teaspoon.

tea bags

Cut off the place of gluing and the thread, straighten the package. Welding remains as a drainage and fertilizer. Top up the bag with earth and put in a plastic container. On the watered, compacted earth in bags spread one seed at a time.

Toilet paper

Lay 2-3 layers of toilet paper on a strip of plastic wrap. Moisten with water. Seeds are laid out with tweezers after 2-4 cm. 1.5 cm recede from the edge of the strip. Cover the spread out seeds with another layer of paper and roll up. Secure with an elastic band and attach a label with the name of the variety and date. The roll is placed in a glass and topped up with 3-4 cm of water, covered. Sprouted seeds dive and planted in separate containers along with paper.

Peat tablets

The practical way. Pills are poured with boiling water for 10 minutes and after swelling of peat, lobelia is sown. The grown seedlings, along with peat, are transferred to a pot or planted in a flower bed, border.

Substrate for laminate

This method is called "snail". From a substrate 2 mm thick, meter-long strips 10 cm wide are cut. On a moistened surface of the material, 20-30 cm each, soil is laid from one edge and carefully folded into a “snail”. The roll is fixed with rubber bands, placed vertically and filled with earth. Seeds of 10 pieces are distributed with a wet toothpick after 5 cm in a spiral, moistened. They put the roll in a light-transmitting container and traditionally cover it with glass or film.

Lobelia seedling care

Shoots appear in 5-10 days. The roots of the plant grow near the surface, so when the soil dries out, the sprouts die in a couple of hours. Every day, the seedlings are ventilated and the condensate on the lid is removed. This reduces the risk of developing root rot and blackleg. The first days this is done for 10 minutes, then half an hour. Hardened by adding 20 every day.

Lighting

Seedlings are placed under diffused light or oblique rays of the sun for 12-14 hours. Photolamps are used when there is a lack of natural light. When the sun is bright, the sprouts are covered with paper or seedling boxes are placed on the western windows.

The recommended temperature for Lobelia sprouts is +13…+17 °C.

Watering

Lobelia seedlings tolerate drying out of the soil worse than excess moisture. The leaves curl up and the plant dies. Water early shoots around the perimeter of the container, then under the roots of plants. Make sure there is no excess water in the trays. This can lead to seedling diseases. For irrigation use settled water at room temperature.

top dressing

Apply universal fertilizers. For monthly seedlings, the concentration of the solution is reduced by 2-3 times.

picking

The time of the procedure is determined by the number of leaves - 2-3 and the height of the plant is 4 cm. A group of plants of 4-10 pieces is dug up, the roots are pinched and transplanted with a clod of earth into containers with a diameter of 8-9 cm. A teaspoon is used as a tool. The dived seedlings are sprayed with Epin's solution for adaptation. Dissolve 3 drops of the drug in 1 liter of water.

Pinching

Remove the tops of sprouts with 5-6 leaves, 5-7 cm high. This prevents the seedlings from overgrowing. So, they form a lush bush and prepare the future abundant flowering. Lobelia begins to bloom before transplanting, while still in small pots or containers.

hardening

The readings on the outdoor thermometer reach +10 ... +15 ° C - we are preparing seedlings for planting in open ground. Boxes with planting material are taken out to the street or balcony for 5-10 minutes two weeks before the proposed transplant. The duration of hardening is increased gradually. Then leave in the open air full daylight hours, then at night.

Watch the weather forecast to avoid the death of seedlings due to night frost.

Transfer

Lobelia is planted in open ground in May, early June. Choose loamy soils or sandy loam. The flower bed should be well lit. The location of the beds should be chosen so that the plants get the morning oblique sunlight, but during the midday heat there was partial shade. Seedlings are planted in groups of 5-10 plants. The distance between the bushes is 10-15 cm. The formed bushes create multi-colored flower borders and create a finished look of the flower beds.

The most popular border flower is a representative of the bell family, called lobelia. It can be seen in city flower beds, suburban areas, in balcony pots. The culture is distinguished by abundant flowering.

In summer, it resembles a fragrant ball of many small flowers. Due to the decorative properties of the plant, it is widely applicable in landscape design. According to experienced flower growers, lobelia should be grown through planting seeds for seedlings.

Lobelia belongs to the bell family and has the appearance of a creeping plant with drooping stems. The flower comes from southern Africa, where it lives in stony, moist soil. Today it can be seen everywhere.

The plant is characterized by lanceolate or elliptical foliage of light green color and small flowers of sapphire color. It can reach a height of 20 cm. There are annuals and perennials among varieties of lobelia. In our conditions, annuals grow well, in particular Lobelia erinus.

There are more than 300 varieties of lobelia, differing from each other in the shape and size of the plant. In most cases, the flower has blue or blue petals. However, there are varieties with purple, purple, pink or white flowers.

There are also representatives of lobelia, which has a peephole of a different color in the color of the petal. Varieties of lobelia are bush and ampelous.

Popular in our area, lobelia erinus is found in several forms:

• compact;
• sprawling;
• dwarf;
• upright;
• ampelous.

dwarf

Dwarf lobelia is distinguished by a small indicator of the height of the bush. It is no more than 9-12 cm. The small size of the plant does not adversely affect the quality of flowering and its duration.

compact

Compact lobelia is characterized by a high density of a bush with upright shoots. The height of the plant does not exceed 11-15 cm. This variety of culture is characterized by a rather large size of flowers.

upright

An upright lobelia is a representative of a culture with a columnar bush reaching a height of 25 cm. Upright shoots tend to be directed straight up.

Ampelous or climbing

Ampel lobelia is also called climbing. The plant is distinguished by whips hanging down, up to 35 cm long. They form a semblance of a beautiful flowering cascade. Varieties of this variety look picturesque in a pot, hanging flowerpot.

Benefits of growing seedlings

Lobelia is easy to grow. Experienced flower growers recommend doing this in seedlings. It provides many advantages over growing a crop in the open field from seeds. Among the advantages of the seedling method is earlier flowering. Thanks to growing from seedlings, it occurs in June, and not at the end of summer.

The method is somewhat more laborious than the seedless method. However, it allows you to achieve better and more beautiful flowering. This is possible due to healthy and strong roots of seedlings, better adaptation of seedlings to open ground conditions.

Read also: Terms of planting strawberries with seeds for seedlings at home

Optimal timing

An important point in breeding lobelia through seedlings is the determination of the time for sowing the seed to obtain seedlings. Sprouts are characterized by a slow pace of development. Therefore, the seed is sown for seedlings in the winter. They do this from February to the last days of March. To enjoy the early flowering of the bush, it is permissible to sow seeds as early as January.

When growing seedlings in winter, it is important to remember the need for additional illumination of seedlings. They do not have enough natural light alone, which is scarce at this time of the year.

Depending on the region

The timing of planting seed for seedlings is determined by the region of cultivation, its climatic features:

• from March 10 to March 20 - for the middle lane and the Moscow region;
• from February 15 to February 28 - for the Urals and Siberia;
• from February 10 - for southern regions, Volga, Chernozem.

Late sowing threatens with short-term flowering of bushes.

We select the date according to the lunar calendar

Experienced flower growers, when choosing a date for planting lobelia seeds for seedlings, are guided by the lunar calendar. He will tell you the most favorable sowing dates.

In 2020, sowing lobelia seed should be:

• January 11, 14, 17, 18;
• 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 16, 28 February;
• 1, 2, 8, 9, 12, 15, 16, 20 March;
• April 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17;
• May 8, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18;
• 1, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 June.

Sprouting lobelia seeds from seeds at home

Seeds of culture have a microscopic size. There are thousands of them in 1 g. One bag of seed will allow you to completely decorate a summer cottage with beautiful flowering bushes.

Lobelia should be sown after home germination on wet gauze, folded in several layers. Seeds will need to be powdered with a fungicide as a disease prevention, in particular the black leg.

It is customary to sow seeds by scattering them on the surface of moistened and leveled soil. Seedling boxes should not be deep. The height of the side walls is not higher than 3 cm. After sowing, the planting can be sprayed with a growth stimulator.

Soil preparation

Lobelia likes loose, airy, non-acidic soil. For seedling bushes, purchased in the form of a universal substrate for flower beds is suitable. You can also prepare the soil mixture with your own hands by mixing humus with sand and high-moor peat (proportion 1/4: 1/4: 1/2). It is advisable to disinfect it by heating it in the oven, and pour it with Fitosporin.

Capacity selection

Lobelia seedlings can be grown both in boxes and in cups, pots, specialized purchased cassettes or peat tablets.

Seed sowing methods

The seed material requires surface sowing on the ground. This can be done uniformly in several ways.

Seeding in the snow

One of the tricks of uniform sowing of lobelia seeds, according to experienced flower growers, is sowing on snow. On top of the soil mixture, it is required to apply a small layer of snow mass. Seed material is sown on it. As the snow melts, the seeds will be drawn into the soil to the desired depth.

In peat tablets

It is good to sow lobelia seeds in purchased peat tablets. The inoculum is kept for some time in Epin's solution. After swelling with a toothpick, spread over the surface of the tablet. Cover with foil.

The seedlings obtained in this way do not need to dive. The seedlings are transplanted into a flower bed, first cutting the film on the tablets.

In tea bags

Lobelia seedlings can be obtained by growing seeds in tea bags. They are a great alternative to store-bought peat tablets and pots.

Experienced flower growers recommend using Lipton tea bags, which are double and have a seam that needs to be cut. After that, the soil mixture is poured into the bags, leaving the tea leaves at the bottom (it plays the role of a drainage layer). Soil bags are placed in a container.

The seed is mixed with tea leaves and the resulting mixture is “salted” with soil in tea containers. The container with bags is covered with plastic wrap to create a semblance of a greenhouse.

Read also: Growing corn seedlings: when and how to plant, why it turns yellow

Seed germination will occur on the 4th day. There is a risk of mold on the bags. Treatment with a store-bought antifungal agent will help solve the problem.

Necessary conditions for growth

Compliance with the optimal conditions for growing seedlings is the key to obtaining strong and viable lobelia seedlings.

If you plant the seeds according to the rules, seedlings will appear 4-10 days after sowing.

Lighting

Experienced gardeners recommend the first few days after spitting lobelia sprouts, it is imperative to use special electric lighting devices and illuminate them by planting them. Natural lighting for plants will not be enough. Additional lighting is convenient to produce with a special phytolamp. A more economical alternative is the LED lamp.

Humidity

Lobelia seedlings, like its seed, are very delicate and fragile. A great difficulty at the stage of development of seedling plants is the organization of their competent watering.

Excess moisture leads to diseases of the sprouts, and overdried soil can provoke twisting of the leaves. Water the seedling material carefully so that moisture does not get on the leaves. For this purpose, it is recommended to use warm water, which was previously defended for several days.

Temperature regime

Compliance with the temperature regime will ensure good results when growing seedlings. Lobelia seedlings develop well at home at a room temperature of +20 - 22⁰С.

top dressing

At the stage of growing seedlings, it is worth refraining from applying mineral fertilizers. This can lead to sad consequences and the death of sprouts.

picking

When true leaves appear, the seedling bushes dive in separate containers in bunches of 3-6 plants. Since during this period the seedlings are quite tender, for the picking procedure it is better to stock up on tweezers or an ordinary spoon in order to transfer several sprouts to a new place along with the soil. Lobelia, whose seedlings were sown in peat pots, does not need a pick.

Pinching

Upon reaching 4-6 cm in height, seedlings of the bush variety of culture are to be pinched for better branching. When 5-6 leaves appear on the plant, pinch off the top of the sprout. The measure will have a beneficial effect on the lush formation of the bush and its flowering.

hardening

With the advent of seedlings, they should be gradually hardened. To do this, open a container with sprouts every day. They start with 10-15 minutes in the morning and evening hours, gradually bringing the time interval up to several hours. After the seedlings get stronger, the film can be completely removed from it.

When outside the window the air temperature is set at + 11-14⁰С, this is a signal that it is time to take containers with flowers outside. The first days for half an hour, then for a longer time.

Transshipment of seedlings in open ground

It is permissible to plant seedlings of lobelia, both in a garden bed and in a planter or a balcony box. Transshipment is carried out, as in picking, in bunches. Bushes are planted at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. It is better to grow flowers on loamy or loose soil.

If the soil in the flower bed has a different composition, then the necessary soil mixture should be prepared in order to fill it into the holes when planting. Since lobelia has a fibrous root system, it is better to plant seedlings in shallow pits with a depth not exceeding 25 cm.

In open ground conditions, bushes are transplanted when warm weather is established in the yard, the threat of return frosts has passed. Depending on the growing region, this is done in April-May.

It is worth considering that this culture does not tolerate direct sunlight and dry weather. The place for the plant should be chosen correctly.

Favorable and Undesirable Neighbors

In a flower garden, it is better to plant next to lobelia:

• marigold;
• petunias;
• pelargoniums;
• matricaria;
• balsams.

Kira Stoletova

Lobelia is a lovely border flower of the bellflower family. Its homeland is South Africa, where it grows as a perennial, and in the temperate climate of the middle zone of lobelia, it is an annual crop. Do you want to grow a gorgeous flower ball from seeds? Then study the rules, under which the sowing of lobelia for seedlings in 2019 will be successful.

Sowing for seedlings

Before you start growing lobelia, you need to choose the right planting material and clearly determine the sowing date, because. 2.5-3 months pass between planting seeds and the appearance of the first flowers.

If you have a heated greenhouse with the right lighting, you can sow it in January-February. Necessary condition is the ability to provide additional lighting. If this is not possible, the seeds are sown in March. At proper care they will quickly catch up with previously planted plants in terms of development and flowering time.

Timing

Seeds for seedlings are sown in February-March. Some flower growers start doing this as early as January. The lunar calendar will help you choose the right sowing time in 2019.

Auspicious days for annual flowers:

• January - 17-19, 23-27;
• February - 6-8, 11-17, 21-25;
• March - 12-17, 19-20;
• April - 6-8, 11-13, 15-17; 29-30;
• May - 8-17, 21-23, 26-28;
• June - 1, 2, 5, 6, 9-13, 16-20;
• July - 8-10.

Suitable days for sowing perennials:

• January - 14-19, 23-27;
• February - 11-13, 20-25;
• March - 12-17, 19, 20, 27-30;
• April - 6-8, 11-13, 15-17, 24-26, 29, 30;
• May - 6-8, 10-17, 21-23, 26-28, 31;
• June - 1, 2, 5, 6, 9-13, 16-20, 27-30;
• July - 8-12, 25-31.

The most unsuitable for lobelia:

• January - 5, 6, 21;
• February - 4, 5, 9;
• March - 6, 7, 21;
• April - 5, 19;
• May - 5, 19;
• June - 3, 4, 17;
• July - 2, 3, 17.

Growing Rules

During the flowering period, lobelia becomes a luxurious plant, from which it is difficult to take your eyes off. This is a small compact shrub with shoots from 20 cm to 1.5 m long, densely strewn with miniature graceful flowers. This beautiful plant is very capricious and demanding to care for.

Varieties

Of the annual flowers, the most common varieties are White Palace, Royal Palace, Red Cascade, Blue Fountain, Sapphire Crystal Palace. Of the perennial (biennial), these species are widely known: Cardinal, Fiery, Cozy Corner.

Lobelias of different colors grow and develop differently:

• white - sprouts for a long time and grows poorly;
• lilac and purple - poor seed germination and weak flowering;
• blue and light blue - have excellent germination, develop well.

There are two varieties of lobelia. The bush is distinguished by a large and dense flower ball located above the ground. The ampelous bush is looser, there are fewer flowers.

Soil selection

You need to purchase a universal soil for flower plants in the store or prepare the mixture yourself. To do this, you need to mix:

• 1/4 humus;
• 2/4 of the top layer of garden soil;
• 1/4 river sand.

It is recommended to decontaminate the mixture purchased or made by hand: warm it up in the oven, microwave oven or pour it with a solution of the Fitosporin preparation. Then you need to fill the boxes with the substrate in which the seeds will be sown. You can also sow using peat tablets.

Sowing

Lobelia seeds are very small. They are sown superficially, i.e. do not cover with earth. There are several options for sowing them.

You can use tweezers and carefully spread out the seeds. But, if patience is not enough, it is recommended to mix them with sand and scatter them on the surface.

If there is snow on the street, then you need to pour it into prepared containers and sow the seeds on the snow. After thawing, it will drag them into the soil.

Another way is to sow small seeds placed on a piece of paper. After that, the sheet should be bent and carefully scattered on the ground.

After sowing, you need to water the planting material by spraying it with a spray gun, and cover it with a transparent plastic wrap or thin glass. The container must be placed in a bright, warm place, completely protected from drafts. Until the time when shoots appear, the culture will require minimal care - light watering and rare airing.

Seedling care

Seeds begin to germinate in 5-14 days. Condensation that appears on the film should be cleaned regularly, because. it can damage fragile seedlings. Sprouts are sprayed with warm, settled water from a spray bottle or syringe with a needle. You can water with a spoon. Do not allow the soil to dry out or excessive moisture.

The coating should be removed gradually: first for 10-20 minutes. morning and evening, increasing this time to several hours. It is necessary to remove the film when the sprouts reach 1 cm.

For good development of seedlings, it is required to apply additional lighting from about 7 am to 9-10 pm. Otherwise, the seedlings will begin to stretch, and the seedlings will be weak and sickly, which will reduce the likelihood of their successful development in the open air.

To protect the plant from diseases, the organic preparation "Gliocladin" is used (1 tablet per 300-400 mg of soil). The tablet is pressed into the soil in an area free from seedlings.

picking

Picking is carried out approximately 4-5 weeks after sowing, in the phase of two or three true leaves. The height of the sprouts during this period will be 1.5-2 cm. Lobelia is sometimes planted in open ground without diving, but such seedlings take root worse.

A pick is a transplant of grown sprouts into separate cups.

It is better to take purchased soil for seedlings of flowers. The soil is prepared a day before the start of the procedure: disinfection is carried out. Disposable cups with a volume of 200 g or special cassettes are suitable for planting. It is necessary to make drainage holes in them or pour pebbles on the bottom.

After proceeding directly to the pick:

• well moisturize the container with seedlings;
• fill the cups with soil mixture by 2/3;
• a small indentation is made in each;
• sprouts are carefully removed from the container with a spoon in bunches of 5-10 pcs. or cut squares of soil with seedlings with a knife;
• if sowing was carried out in peat tablets, it is necessary to break each into 2-3 parts without injuring the seedlings;
• 3-4 sprouts are placed in cups and carefully sprinkled with earth, compacting it with a spoon or stick;
• watered with water or a solution of the drug "Energen".

If you plan to grow in hanging planters, then it is better to immediately dive seedlings in them.

Transplanting seedlings in open ground

Starting from the second decade of May, you can start planting seedlings at a permanent place of growth. The main condition is the absence of the threat of frost. Seedlings are hardened before planting. When the air temperature reaches 12-15 ° C, you need to take them outside for 10-20 minutes, gradually increasing the time.

For transplanting to a permanent place, you need to choose a well-lit area without drafts with light loamy soil. Then - make holes so that the distance between plants is 15-20 cm. After that, you need to moisten the soil and plant seedlings in the ground.

Care

Further care for lobelia consists of timely measures taken to improve the conditions for plant development and disease prevention.

Watering

In hot summers, daily watering in the morning and evening is required. Lobelia is sensitive to a lack of moisture, therefore, with the slightest lack of liquid, its buds begin to fall off.

top dressing

Plants are fed once a month with mineral fertilizers.

2-3 weeks after planting the seedlings, they are fertilized with the “Rainbow” or “Flower” agent (for 10 liters of water - 1 tbsp.).

In late July or early August, a re-feed with this drug is carried out.

pruning

It is necessary not only to monitor the decorative appearance of the plant, but also to cut off faded buds in a timely manner so that they do not take strength from the flower. In the case when flowering has become less abundant, it is necessary to shorten the shoots by 10-15 cm, which will stimulate the emergence of new stems. With proper care, Lobelia pleases with flowering until the first frost.

"Fundazol" - the mixture contains 1 g of the drug per 1 liter of water, the treatment is carried out with a break of a week three times.

Lobelia can be harmed by a spider mite, which you can get rid of by using insecticides. Solutions are prepared in the following proportion:

• "Fitoverm" - dilute 10 ml of the substance in 1 liter of water;
• "Bison" - immediately before use, dilute the ampoule in 1 liter of water, and then add another 9;
• "Aktara" - dissolve 8 g of the substance in 10 liters of very warm water.

Lobelia can be turned into a perennial by digging up a bush before the onset of cold weather, and bringing it into a greenhouse or loggia. The main thing is that the air temperature in the room should be at least 10 ° C.

Sometimes, to maintain the level of moisture in the tissues, the flower is lightly watered. In the spring, the bush is divided and seated, and with the onset of heat, it is time to plant the plant in open ground.

Growing lobelia is a long and laborious process, but the effort is fully justified, because. throughout the summer and until mid-autumn, it pleases with abundant, bright flowering.

In order for lobelia to please with lush flowering at the beginning of summer, in most regions it is grown through seedlings, 8-10 weeks pass from sowing to flowering. The period when you can start preparing and sowing seeds depends on the climate of the area. The grown seedlings are planted in a flower bed when stable warm weather is established and the threat of return frosts has passed.

Proper care allows you to get strong and lush seedlings, while all work with seedlings, especially seed preparation, sowing and picking, is carried out in auspicious days Lunar calendar for 2020. If everything is done correctly, lobelia will bloom from the first days of summer until the autumn frosts. How exactly to plant seedlings, everyone chooses on their own, there are several simple ways.

Flowers are planted when the satellite enters the growing phase, on the days of the Full Moon and New Moon, any work with plants is postponed. Astrologers note that seedlings develop better if, in addition to the phase, the constellations in which the Moon is located are taken into account. Fertile signs of the zodiac: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces, Libra, Taurus, Sagittarius, Capricorn belong to the average fertility, and Aries, Gemini, Virgo, Leo, Aquarius belong to the barren ones.

The average time for sowing lobelia is January-April, seedlings are usually planted in May. In the table, we highlight the best and worst dates for all jobs in 2020.

Month	auspicious days	bad days
January	1, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 27, 28, 29	2, 3, 10, 25, 31
February	1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 20, 24, 25, 28, 29	8, 9, 21, 22, 26, 27
March	2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 22, 27, 28, 30, 31	7, 8, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26
April	1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 18, 19, 24, 28, 29	3, 4, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 30
May	3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 15, 16, 20, 25, 26, 30	1, 13, 14, 18, 21, 27, 28, 29

Attention! Caring for (watering, feeding, diving, spraying) lobelia seedlings is also permissible on the days of the waning moon, but only if it is in fertile constellations.

Usually lobelia seedlings are very thin and fragile, if you plant flower seeds according to the recommended dates of the lunar calendar, you will be able to grow strong and viable seedlings. It is impossible to neglect the rules of agricultural technology of culture, otherwise the plants will have a weak immunity to diseases, pests and other adverse factors, this will affect not only growth, but also flowering.

Landing dates in the regions

By the time of planting, buds should already form in lobelia seedlings, and single ones may bloom. Planting overgrown seedlings will lead to the fact that the bushes will take root in a new place for a long time, in a critical case they will shed flowers.

Underdeveloped plants will bloom later than expected. Lobelia is transplanted to a permanent place after the return frosts. When a flower is sown and planted in certain regions, we note in the table.

In the south, most varieties of flowers with a long period from germination to budding are grown in a seedless way. The period when they begin to sow lobelia in open ground in the spring falls on the end of March-mid-April, the deadlines are until the second half of May, but in this case the plant will bloom only in early July. In any case, sowing in unprotected beds is possible only in areas with an early, warm spring.

When to sow lobelia seeds to bloom early

If it is possible to organize a temporary shelter on the flower garden, flowers can be planted earlier than the recommended dates and enjoy bright flowering in mid-late spring. A good shelter option is arcs or stakes covered with a solid sheet of polyethylene. At night and during cold periods, the beds are closed, and during the day the canvas is removed. As soon as the return frosts pass, the structure is completely removed.

If desired, spring flowering of lobelia in a flower bed can also be achieved in the middle lane, but the shelter here should be more reliable, for example, industrial mini-greenhouses or greenhouses are suitable. Such structures are completely closed on all sides, they have no gaps either in the lower or in the upper parts. In warm areas, seeds for early seedlings are sown from mid-December, and in the Moscow region and the Black Earth region - from the first days of January.

How to plant lobelia at home for seedlings using the snail method

Seedlings grown in this way do not stretch, they develop a powerful root system. Someone says that the method helps to save space on the windowsill, this is not entirely true. Before transplanting into the ground, the plants will still have to be dived into separate cups, since in the snail, at a certain stage of growth, there will be little land for them.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. From the construction substrate (2 mm), strips are cut, 7–8 cm wide, the length can be calculated independently, based on the number of seeds (of each variety). Different sorts of lobelia are not sown in one snail, as they can germinate at different times.
2. A strip of substrate is spread on a flat surface, with the narrow side towards itself, on a small part of the tape the prepared substrate is evenly distributed, with a layer of 1.5–2 cm. Do not lay the ground along the entire length, this will complicate the further process.
3. With tweezers, the seeds are carefully laid out in a row (at a distance of 2 or 2.5 cm), stepping back from the upper edge of 0.5 cm. The tape with grains is very carefully, slowly twisted into a roll, making sure that the soil does not move or spill out.
4. Holding the finished part of the snail with your fingers, pour the substrate again and lay small grains almost to the end of the strip, leave a “tail” of about 3 cm, twist it, and fasten the finished snail with an elastic band.
5. The snail in a horizontal position (seeds up) is placed in a wide plastic container, the “roll” must be completely placed in it in width, while leaving about 0.5 cm of free space on each side of the container.

Attention! With a slight subsidence of the earth (when transferred to a container), it is filled up. The soil should be flush with the edges of the base material.

Crops are sprayed with a spray gun so that the earth is completely wet and moisture does not remain at the bottom of the container. The snail is covered with a transparent bag, a mini-greenhouse is built. The edges of the polyethylene are fixed with an elastic band (put it on a roll), the container is left open so that it is convenient to water the seedlings. The container is placed on a well-lit windowsill; lobelia does not germinate in the shade. The temperature is maintained at 24–26°C.

Shelter is removed when shoots appear. Water so that the soil does not dry out and is not too wet. Seedlings are planted in separate cups when 4-6 pairs of true leaves appear on them, it is possible earlier, but only if the seedlings develop poorly or stretch. Plants are easily separated from the substrate, the roots are not damaged. To make it easier, they use a wooden spatula, the seedlings are rolled over with a clod of earth.

Sowing lobelia for seedlings in the snow

The method is almost identical to the traditional one. Wide containers for seedlings are filled with a nutritious and disinfected substrate, leaving sides of about 1–1.5 cm each. A small layer of snow is poured over the ground (so that the surface is evenly white), over which the seeds are distributed. As the snow melts, the grains will sink into the ground to the optimum depth.

Lobelia seeds are very small, it is difficult to lay them out on the snow with a toothpick or tweezers, and if you pour them at random, they can germinate in bunches. To get uniform, not thickened seedlings, they are mixed with sand, sleeping tea or natural, ground coffee before sowing. Any material taken for mixing must be spilled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and dried.

Growing lobelia seedlings on toilet paper with a backing

Kerimov's method, which is otherwise called - self-rolling or seedlings in Moscow. They take the substrate, as for the cochlea or from dense polyethylene, the width is also left as described earlier.

1. The tape is laid out on the table, toilet paper (preferably delicate) is placed on top, so that it matches the width of the substrate, the excess can be tucked up or cut off.
2. The paper is abundantly moistened with a spray gun, retreating from the edge of no more than 5 mm, the seeds are laid out at a distance of 1.5–2 cm.
3. The grains are covered with a second layer of paper, moistened, 1–1.5 cm layer of substrate is poured on top. The tape is twisted into a tape measure (moderately tight) and fixed with an elastic band.

Attention! Kerimov's method is convenient and simple, but it has a minus. Lobelia seedlings should be stocky, and sowing in a roll can cause seedlings to stretch.

Immediately after twisting, the rolls are placed in a prepared container, sprayed from a spray bottle, covered with polyethylene. You can cut a 2 or 5 l plastic bottle in half, make vertical cuts in the lower part, up to 4 cm long, pressing the resulting “strips” to put on the top of the bottle, so you get a comfortable greenhouse, to ventilate the seedlings, it is enough to unscrew the roof, but for watering you will have to remove the top part of the structure.

It is better to sow hatched seeds in cigarette rolls, but this is not possible in the case of lobelia. They put the container in the light, make sure that the earth does not dry out, periodically pour a little water on the bottom and moisten the top of the roll with a spray bottle, but not abundantly. As soon as sprouts appear, the shelter is removed, in the future, the seedlings are watered only in the pan. Seedlings can be dived directly into the ground.

Planting lobelia seeds in peat tablets

The best option is how to plant lobelia seedlings without picking. At the same time, gardeners often complain that when growing plants in this way, they do not bloom for a long time. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the substrate contains many nutrients in high concentrations. Excess and lack of fertilizers are equally harmful to lobelia. It turns out that in peat tablets the flower should be grown only with a pick.

The tablets are placed in settled water at room temperature or in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, when they are completely swollen, seeds are laid out on the surface (2-3 pieces each). The crops are sprinkled with a small layer of sand, the peat tablets are rearranged in wide containers, covered with glass or polyethylene, and placed in the light. After germination, the shelter is removed.

How to plant lobelia for seedlings at home - tricks

It is difficult to say exactly how to plant lobelia for seedlings correctly, each method described has its own advantages and disadvantages. You can try several options at once and choose the best one for yourself.

Let's turn to the experience of experienced gardeners and gardeners, share their secrets and tricks of growing strong and healthy lobelia seedlings:

1. For a flower, they take ready-made universal soil or prepare a mixture of soddy soil, humus, peat, river sand, in a ratio of 2: 2: 2: 1. The acidity of the substrate must be neutral; wood ash or dolomite flour is used for deoxidation. The earth is disinfected a couple of weeks before sowing - they are frozen, calcined in the oven, spilled with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate or Fitosporin.
2. To prevent the black leg, the seeds are treated with a fungicide. Phytocide is suitable, the powder (on the tip of a knife) is poured into a pack of seed, tightly closed and shaken thoroughly. You can soak the seeds in a pale pink solution of manganese or other biofungicides.
3. Before the emergence of seedlings in the room where the seedlings are located, the temperature is maintained at a level of 20 to 23 ° C, after removing the shelter, it is lowered to 18–22 ° C. The room is periodically ventilated, while protecting the seedlings from drafts.
4. Daylight hours should last at least 14 hours a day, in winter and in cloudy weather, the lobelia is illuminated with a phytolamp. Initially, the seedlings are placed on the lightest window sill, but the plants must be covered from the direct rays of the sun.
5. So that the seedlings in a wide container do not stretch out, they turn it over several times a day (with the other edge towards the light).
6. When growing seedlings in rolls, for the first time and after removing the shelter for irrigation, it is better to use a weak solution of a growth stimulator, such as HB-101 (2 drops per liter of water).
7. The seeds are small, so that it is easier to lay them out on the surface of the soil, use a match or a toothpick. The tip of the device is moistened, a grain is attached to it.
8. Water lobelia moderately at all stages of growth. Water is poured into the pan, left for half an hour, then the remains are drained. The top layer of soil is also always kept moist. Water is taken at room temperature. Waterlogging threatens with rotting of the roots, and drying out - twisting and wilting of the sprouts.
9. In order not to get confused, seedlings are marked, labels are installed on which the variety and date of sowing are written.
10. The first time lobelia is fed a month after germination, again after 2-3 weeks.

Attention! For feeding seedlings, a complex mineral fertilizer is used, but in a low concentration, two or three times less than indicated on the package.

Finally, we will give a few more recommendations. It is also possible to plant seedlings of lobelia without picking into a snail, then the indent between the grains is about 5–6 cm, and the width of the substrate is 10 cm. spread the grains. If the roll is too wide, it is fixed not with an elastic band, which can pinch the roots, but with tape.

Lobelia is a capricious flower, but even a beginner can cope with growing seedlings, the main thing is to choose a convenient way, follow the basic rules of agricultural technology and the recommendations of the Lunar calendar for 2020. Flowering bushes will die immediately after the onset of the first autumn frosts, they can be extended life, transplanted into a pot, transferred to a windowsill and grown as a houseplant.

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A guest from the Cape Flower Kingdom, located in South Africa. Due to the increased love for warmth in harsh climatic conditions, the flower is grown exclusively by seedlings. From the materials of the article, you will learn about the lobelia plant, growing from seeds, when to plant according to the lunar calendar in 2018, caring for seedlings and seedlings, the timing and technology of planting in the garden. The advice of experienced gardeners will help you get healthy seedlings, go the hard way from a tiny seed to a lush flowering rug.

The genus Lobelia is included in the bellflower family, has over 300 species of perennials. Among this diversity, only 20 species of the genus are used in ornamental gardening. In the wild, lobelia grows near water bodies, preferring the neighborhood with shrubs.

The culture is a low spherical bushes, reaching a height of 10-40 cm. Thin shoots do not form a rosette, but branch very strongly. Due to this, up to three orders of branches, densely strewn with flowers, develop on the bush. The internodes are located close to each other, when in contact with the soil, roots appear in the nodes. At the break of the shoots, poisonous milky juice containing plant alkaloids is released.

You know! The alkaloid lobelin is a derivative of methylpyridine, which excites the respiratory center. Based on it, a medicine is made for the treatment of cough, bronchial asthma, whooping cough. This substance is poisonous, so care should be taken when working with the plant.

The root system of a garden plant lies in the upper soil layers and is compact. The twigs are densely dotted with small elongated-lanceolate leaves, reaching a length of 3-4 cm and half as wide. The leaf arrangement is spiral. The natural color of the corollas of the majority is blue. It is not easy to eradicate it, so the breeders managed to diversify the palette only with shades of purple, blue, white color. To date, no varieties with red, orange and yellow flowers have been obtained.

The corolla of the flower reaches a diameter of 1.5-2 cm, has a very interesting structure. It consists of five petals forming two lips. The upper sponge is represented by two short narrow petals, and the lower one consists of three wide petals fused at the base.

During flowering, the spherical bush is completely covered with bright buds, which turns it into a lush flower cloud. Foliage under a dense cap of flowers is not visible. After pollination, small bivalve boxes filled with tiny seeds are tied. One gram fits up to 5 thousand oval grains.

Know! The main advantage of culture is a long period of decorativeness. From the beginning of summer until the first frosts, your garden will be decorated with bright clouds of an African guest.

Although all lobelia are perennials, annual and perennial species are still distinguished in culture. This is due to the fact that less cold-resistant varieties are grown by seedlings, while more cold-resistant varieties can winter in the presence of snow cover.

Gardeners refer to the most valuable annuals as lobelia erinus (pictured below), also called blackberry, garden or blue. The flower is represented by five different forms - erect, compact, cascading, dwarf and. All of them differ in the structure of the growth type of the bush. Gardeners have simplified the botanical classification by dividing the crop varieties into bush and ampelous.

Bush cultivars have upright shoots up to 30 cm long. Depending on the variety, the shape of the bush is columnar or spherical. There are hybrids of a short type, distinguished by their compact dimensions and low growth - only 8-12 cm. Among the popular varieties, it is worth noting the ampelous varietal series Cascade and Riviera, the cascade cultivar Minx with snow-white petals. Unpretentiousness will please bush hybrids Crystal Palace, Cambridge, White Lady, Emperor Willy.

Advice! Choose varieties depending on your own preferences and ideas for decorating the garden. Bush forms look great in flower beds, fluffy clouds lie on the lawn, and ampelous varieties are ideal for decorating small planters, stone walls, and balcony boxes.

Perennial species of lobelia have a semi-shrub habitus, reach a height of 70-150 cm. These representatives of the flora have upright shoots and peduncles. Spikelet-type inflorescences are red, purple or blue in color, flowering occurs in the second year. For the winter, they require shelter or digging with transfer to the basement. In ornamental horticulture, they are used less often than letniki, but also deserve attention. Summer residents recommend planting a cardinal variety, varieties the swallow nest, Cozy corner.

Growing lobelia from seeds

Adult specimens of the African guest are very unpretentious, which cannot be said about tiny and tender seedlings. Not every beginner can grow lobelia from seeds. To get strong seedlings, you have to spend a lot of time and effort.

Sowing dates

The starting point for determining the timing of sowing is the time of a possible landing on the flower bed. African seedlings develop very slowly, at least 8-10 weeks will pass before the first flowers appear.

If you want to plant already flowering bushes, you need to start sowing work at the end of winter. You can sow seeds from January to April, it all depends on the presence of illumination and the desired result. The optimal sowing time is the first half of March, when the length of daylight hours is already enough to ensure that the seedling is fully nourished through photosynthesis. In Siberia, sowing work is started 2-3 weeks later, since planting in open ground is also carried out later.

When to sow seeds for seedlings according to the lunar calendar in 2018

The influence of the Moon on living organisms is especially clearly seen in the example of plants. Inside the seed and the plant organism, phenomena occur that are similar to the phases of the ebb and flow of the waters of the oceans. The cycle of these phases coincides with the lunar cycle. While the disk of the small luminary increases, there is a "tide", intercellular fluids rush upward, pressing the impetus for growth. With a decrease in the lunar disk, a similar process occurs in the underground organs of the plant.

On a note! It is believed that when the timing of sowing is coordinated with the data of the lunar calendar, germination improves, immunity and crop yields increase.

Gardeners recommend sowing species with above-ground fruiting in the growing phase, and crops with underground fruit-bearing organs (bulbs, root crops) during the waning of the night star. Since the fruits of the African guest are formed in above-ground boxes, sowing is performed on the growing moon.

When to plant lobelia according to the lunar calendar in 2018:

• January - the period from the 18th to the 30th, with the exception of January 2, 17 and 31;
• February - the period from the 16th to the 28th, except February 16;
• March - the period from the 18th to the 30th, the dates of March 2, 17, 31 fall under the ban;
• April - the period from the 18th to the 28th, except for April 16 and 30.

The listed unfavorable days are full moons and new moons, when sowing work cannot be carried out due to a restructuring of the direction of movement of plant juices and a decrease in the viability of the embryo.

Selection and preparation of seeds for sowing

When selecting seed, it should be remembered that the seeds of lobelia are very small. Most manufacturers use the granulation method for such material. This allows you to get a small nest, consisting of 4-5 copies. Several grains after disinfection are enclosed in a shell of growth stimulants that contribute to the harmonious development of individuals.

When buying, you need to pay attention to the date of collection, the fresher it is, the higher the germination rate will be. You should not choose bags with a mixture of colors, as the result may not please you. Instead of the desired multi-colored carpet, seedlings with petals of the same color will grow. It is better to select several varieties with a different palette.

Remember! Before buying, study the reviews of manufacturers on gardening forums. This will protect you from low-quality goods.

If you are going to plant lobelia seeds collected from your site, be sure to decontaminate them. Due to the small size, the standard method with soaking in a solution of potassium permanganate or fungicide is not suitable. Choose a powdered fungicide. Pour a small amount of powder into a bag of seeds and shake thoroughly so that each seed is surrounded by small crystals of the substance.

Containers and soil for growing seedlings

Any container is suitable for growing lobelia from seeds. In addition to a seedling box and a mini-greenhouse, you can use peat tablets or even sow the seeds on a moistened cotton pad. To avoid picking, which the tropical guest does not really like because of its small size, use individual containers for planting - peat cups or tablets. Do not forget about the holes in the bottom, necessary for the regulation of humidity and proper root respiration.

The African guest is unpretentious to the soil; universal soil for flower seedlings is suitable for cultivation. Soil mixture can be made from equal parts peat, humus and garden soil. Be sure to add a small amount of sand or vermiculite. Purchased and homemade soil should be sifted through a sieve before sowing.

Attention! Remember the need for heat treatment (steaming) of garden soil. Watering with a fungicide will only get rid of the spores of the fungus, and for the tender growth of lobelia, weeds and pest larvae must be destroyed.

Seeding technology

Sowing technology depends on the choice of containers for growing and the variety of seed. The following tips will help you get the event right:

1. If cultivation is intended in a common box or mini-greenhouse, it must be filled with prepared soil, compacted a little and watered. The seed is mixed with dry sand, the resulting mixture is "salted" the soil surface. This trick will help evenly distribute the tiny grains.
2. The second trick is sowing in the snow. On a snow-white background, unsown areas are better visible. Put a layer of snow 2-3 cm high on top of the soil in a container, compact. Sow the prepared material on the snow. In the process of thawing, the grains will be evenly distributed on the soil surface.
3. The grains are perfectly visible on a cotton pad. Moisten it from a spray bottle with a growth stimulant solution and put 5-8 seeds in the center. After growing up, such a bunch is added dropwise into a pot along with cotton wool, through which the roots can easily penetrate into the ground.
4. It is convenient to sow granular material in peat tablets and seedling boxes. It is arranged in 2-3 cm increments. For a peat tablet, it is enough to place one granule in the center of the prepared cylinder.
5. Remember that you do not need to close the grains, press them a little to the surface.
6. To avoid washout, water only with a spray bottle.

Regardless of the method of planting, the container should be covered with glass or film to obtain a greenhouse effect. Put the container on the windowsill, keep at a temperature of 18-20⁰C. After 5-7 days, thin shoots will look out.

Important! Ventilate the greenhouse daily, removing drops of condensate from the shelter, otherwise the sprouts may get sick.

Seedling care, picking

The tender shoots of the African guest require special care. It is based on the correct irrigation regime. Due to the superficial occurrence of the root system, it is necessary to ensure that the earth ball does not dry out, while avoiding waterlogging. Twice a day, water the soil in a pot with settled water at room temperature. Use a syringe for watering, releasing a trickle of water along the edges of the container. We also allow bottom watering through the pallet.

If sowing was carried out in January-February, provide seedlings with additional lighting with a phytolamp or a diode lighting device. Young shoots need 13-15 hours of sunlight or artificial light daily. Shelter from the box is removed gradually. First, the greenhouse is ventilated for 15 minutes, and then the time is increased. During the second sheet formation phase, the film or glass can be removed.

When the seedlings reach a height of 2-3 cm, it's time to start picking. Fill a larger pot with the same potting mix that was used when planting. After abundant watering, remove a group of plants (4-7 pieces) with a teaspoon and transfer to a new pot along with an earthy clod.

Attention! Top dressing when growing seedlings at home is applied only once - after 7-10 days from transplantation. Used liquid mineral complex for flowering plants.

seedling care

Care for the grown seedlings is not burdensome. Continue to water the seedlings in the manner described above, adjusting the amount of liquid needed depending on the growth of the bush. When the seedlings grow to a height of 5 cm, pinch the top of the head to stimulate the development of secondary shoots.

Before planting in open ground, harden off the seedlings. Take the containers to the balcony, protecting them from drafts and the scorching sun. If the temperature allows, in the last few days before disembarking, leave them to spend the night in the open air.

Landing in the garden

The grown seedlings need to be planted in open ground or flowerpots, for this, consider in advance the placement of the bushes in the flower bed, taking into account the requirements set out below.

Terms of landing in open ground

Adults of the African guest tolerate slight frosts, but in spring they can destroy seedlings pampered by the home climate. Transplantation is carried out after the last night frosts recede. For the Middle Strip, the optimal time is mid-May, for regions with a more severe climate - early June.

On a note! Residents of the south of Russia can sow seeds directly into open ground as early as the third decade of April. If necessary, the flower bed is covered with a film or agrofiber.

Site preparation, transplant technology

When choosing a site and transplant, follow these guidelines:

1. Choose a plot with openwork penumbra. In the sun, the soil dries out faster, and bright flowers are prone to fading.
2. Increased soil fertility will certainly affect flowering, and not in better side. An excess of nitrogen will cause an increase in green mass, there will be few flowers on such a specimen.
3. The optimal soil for growing is sandy loam or loam. If the soil is too dense, sand is introduced, the soil is dug up. Additional enrichment with minerals and organic matter is not required.
4. All cultivars are prone to cross-pollination. When cultivating a population for offspring, a distance between different varieties of at least 200 m should be observed.
5. When growing ampelous varieties in a flowerpot, consider the peculiarity of this container. Closed space contributes to the rapid depletion of the soil, high humidity. Choose the right substrate, use a high drainage layer, fertilize in a timely manner (1 time per month).
6. Seedlings are transplanted in groups of 4-7 copies. If you observe a step of 15 cm between them, you get a solid carpet. Plant at a distance of 25 cm for ball-shaped curtains.
7. After abundant watering, the seedlings are removed from the container with a scoop, placed in small holes. Around each beam, the soil is carefully compacted, abundant irrigation is carried out.

Advice! To protect the surface roots from drying out, choose a light-colored planter.a

Lobelia Care

Caring for a grown lobelia is very simple. When the seedlings take root, pinch the tops of the shoots again. Drying out of the soil is unacceptable, the culture belongs to moisture-loving plants. In the heat, irrigation is carried out twice a day, the rest of the time they are guided by the level of precipitation. Don't forget to remove weeds.

As top dressing, only potash-phosphorus fertilizers are used. Nitrogen should be excluded from the African flower menu. Top dressing is applied twice, after the end of the first wave of flowering. At the same time, the bush is subjected to a cardinal haircut, cutting off all the branches at a height of 5 cm.

Of the pests for African women, the danger is spider mites, aphids and land mollusks. A solution of laundry soap will relieve aphids, an infusion of garlic will scare away the tick. With the development of a large colony, it is advisable to use insecticides. Mollusks are harvested by hand or using various baits, poured with caustic mulch.

Since the culture loves moisture, the risk of fungal diseases increases. If you do not allow waterlogging of the soil, they will bypass the flower. Affected individuals are treated with fungicides.

Remember! Members of the genus lobelia are susceptible to mosaic virus. When angular spots appear, the diseased specimen should be removed from the flower bed and burned.

Experienced gardeners consider lobelia to be one of the most decorative flowers for decorating flower beds, flower beds, and mixborders. They are perfectly combined with petunias, and perennial varieties will harmoniously fit on the shore of an artificial pond.

Some practice the cultivation of seedlings in the shell of a chicken egg. To do this, it must be blown out, and the shell thoroughly rinsed and dried. A quarter of the shell is carefully removed, forming a small pot. Experienced summer residents claim that such a container will make the seedlings stronger due to the enrichment of the soil with calcium.

In order not to grow seedlings every year, summer residents dig out the most beautiful bush in the fall, provide it with a cool winter. In the spring, pruning is carried out to stimulate tillering, and the branches are rooted in perlite to obtain a new population. The beauty of this method is the complete preservation of varietal characteristics.

Conclusion

Growing lobelia from seeds is a laborious process. When the seedlings turn into flowering bushes, you will realize that the time and effort spent was worth it. Knowing when and how to plant seedlings, what kind of care to provide, hardworking beginners can grow this whimsical African flower. Watch a video about sowing lobelia seeds for seedlings.